Fic: Maybe I'm A Lion - CHAPTER ONE
Title: Maybe I'm A Lion
Author(s): dazzling_icer
Chapter: [1/?]
Rating: NC-17 (eventually)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Luke and Noah (or other ATWT characters), nor do I claim any ownership over the video game Final Fantasy VIII. FFVIII, and any borrowing or allusion to places or characters belongs to Square Enix.
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Noah, Ali/Aaron, Casey/Maddie, Dr. Bob, Carly, Margo, Holden, John Dixon, Reid Oliver, and many other Oakdalians.
Word Count: 4,963
Warnings: None for this chapter.
Spoilers: None! Completely AU! :)
Summary: Becoming a SeeD was Luciano Grimaldi's way out. It was his freedom. Escaping the ruthless grasp of his father, a powerful general in the Galbadian Army, was the answer to all of his problems. Training to become a SeeD at one of the world's top mercenary schools wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but it was going to be so worth it. That is, until Luke meets a stranger at school that starts to make his life a lot more complicated. What happens when this stranger is found to be holding crucial secrets about Luke’s destiny? And how does Luke react when he discovers that the strange happenings around him are a lot bigger than just random coincidence?
A/N: Okay, I have to admit...this story was written on the sole purpose for complete self-indulgence. Because Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite of the series, and the main pairing of Squall and Rinoa ARE Noah and Luke to a "T". It's ridiculous. So this had to be written. The world of Final Fantasy VIII was stolen for this fic, but all of the characters are ATWT, so you will not encounter anyone you've never heard of before. But, in warning, some of the characters may take a small resemblance to their counterpart in the game (i.e. Zell's tattoo is now Casey's tattoo, etc). But this does NOT change their personality...only their appearance. You do NOT need to have played the game, or any other Final Fantasy game, to understand this fic.
A/N #2: This fic was written for Moey's frances_veritas birthday! It's got a bit to go, but I PROMISE this is gonna get done! Gonna post it every couple of days or so! So I promise you won't have to wait very long, Moey! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND AND AND I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S WEIRD AND BIZARRE AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
Enjoy!
“Attention all passengers, the train will be arriving at Balamb in approximately five minutes. It is recommended that you gather up your belongings and prepare to disembark. Thank you.”
The voice rang loud over the speakers. Luke briefly looked up from the pamphlet he was engaged in and picked up his bag off the floor, settling it in his lap, before turning his eyes back to the brochure.
“Balamb Garden assures that all students will not only enhance their combat skills, but improve in all aspects of life during their stay. Becoming a member of the world-renowned SeeD organization will be an experience of a lifetime!” He read quietly to himself from the paper in front of him, the words long embedded into his head. He sighed, packing the brochure away in his bag and turning his eyes to the window. The calm countryside that Balamb had to offer was a very significant change from the city life he grew to know.
Growing up in Deling City, the largest and most governmental influenced city on the continent, his childhood (if you would call it that) was darkened by his tyrant of a father. General Grimaldi ran a tough household since his mother, Lily, had died in a car accident when he was only five. He treated him the same way as everyone else: he was just another soldier to him. The death of his mother caused him to turn into a shadow of his former self, and Luke had long since lost recognition for the kind, gentle man he once knew as a child. It was as if all of the love and joy he had possessed was taken away from him, and Luke wasn’t good enough to be a replacement for his mother.
But none of that mattered anymore. He was leaving that life forever, and starting a new life at Balamb Garden to become a SeeD. Balamb Garden was a special school that trained its students to become mercenaries. If you were good enough, you became a member of SeeD, an elite group of combat specialists that are trained in all areas of warfare and intelligence. They take on missions that would help improve the peace of their world for a considerable profit.
Luke knew all about SeeD, and the various Gardens around the world that trained its soldiers away from the influence of the government. Although there were never specifics on exactly what type of assistance SeeD provided to the clients that hired them, he knew that they didn’t take any missions, or had any alliances with the government of any kind.
And that was exactly what Luke needed. Ever since he found an advertisement for it at a local market, he knew that this was something that he had to do to finally get away from his father. Become his own person. Make a difference. Becoming a member of SeeD was going to be the hardest thing Luke ever did, but he knew that he had to prove himself. A life of being told that he wasn’t good enough for anything better was working against him, but he knew he had made the right decision.
Going to Balamb Garden and studying to become a SeeD, it was the perfect plan. He would be lying if he said that becoming an elite mercenary away from the government wasn’t just to stick it to his father. There was truth to that, sure. But Luke needed this for himself. He wanted to start to live his own life, make his own decisions. Sure, the life he was entering was a dangerous one, full of battles and monsters and no doubts countless injuries. But it would be worth the risk. The work he would be doing with SeeD to bring about peace would be worth it, despite the constant danger.
Anything is better than my father, he thought to himself as he stared out at the plains in front of him, spreading out as far as his eyes could see and leading to the ocean. Balamb Garden was on a whole other continent than Deling City, and this was the first time that Luke had ventured off Galbadia without his father present. That, in itself, was thrilling enough. But knowing that this place, this beautiful, vast country was now going to be his new home, caused a gentle and pleasant stirring in his gut.
Suddenly, a soft beeping noise came from over the loudspeaker.
“Attention passengers, we have arrived in Balamb. Please walk carefully to the nearest exit. We hope you enjoyed your ride today! From all of us here at the Galbadian Railroad, we wish you all a wonderful day!”
“Finally,” Luke sighed as he descended down the hallway of the train. The ride lasted eleven hours by train (most of it underwater in the sub-hydro railways) and when he got off, he would have to board a bus to Balamb Garden that was located just outside of Balamb city. When he arrived, he would have to go through orientation and a brief tour before he could finally rest.
Balamb was a quiet town that was located directly on the ocean. Beaches surrounded the outsides of the city, and there were many ports and docks for cargo ships and fisherman. There were also many small shops such as diners and cafés, and he saw small connecting houses that lined up directly next to each other on each side of the streets. On the far side of the city, he could make out the top of the largest building in town. It looked like a hotel with a lot of small windows on the side that faced the sea, and just screamed “nautical-themed”.
Basically, Balamb was exactly what he imaged any small, quant fisherman’s town to be.
He collected his suitcase from an attendant and swung his bag over his shoulder. He looked down at the small map in front of him to locate the bus station, and then checked his watch.
His bus didn’t arrive for another hour, so he figured he would kill some time by exploring the town a little bit, deciding to familiarize himself a little bit to the only form of civilization he was going to have access to while he was studying at Garden.
He wasn’t able to do much in a short hour. He walked past shops and peered into windows, taking extra notice of the weapon shops that sold different models of weapons and also advertised for upgrades on current versions. That place might definitely come in handy in the future.
Luke was also able to stop by a small coffee shop, ordering a drink in the hopes that the caffeine would help keep him awake through his orientation. And then by the time he left the shop and made his way back to the bus station, his bus was due to arrive any minute.
The bus station, which was conveniently located across the street from the train station, was small and nearly empty of people. It had only one tiny ticket booth and a vending machine, a huge difference from the giant bus terminals that he used back in the city.
It was a gorgeous late summer day as he walked across the street to the station, and the soft warm breeze that blew from the sea gave him a calmness that he never found in Deling City. The air seemed clearer here. If not clearer, then definitely cleaner because there was no factories or signs of pollution of any kind in sight. As corny as it sounded, Luke felt like he was breathing real air for the first time in his life.
Finding a small bench next to the ticket booth, he sat down and pulled out the worn pamphlet he was reading earlier. He opened to a page that showed many pictures of weapons and other machinery with their descriptions right next to them. Reminding him of what he saw earlier at the small weapons dealer, he began to go over his options.
“A student at Balamb Garden will be required to choose a weapon that they will master during their training. Different skills and abilities are required for every mission, so it is imperative that Garden is a host to a master of every kind of weapon.”
He briefly gazed at the different choices and read the descriptions out to himself.
“The Chain Whip is a strong, versatile weapon that has been used for centuries. Its technique is easy to learn but mastery of this weapon requires discipline and dedication.”
Ha. Discipline. Yeah, right. Luke skipped to the next one.
“The Nunchaku (or otherwise known as “nunchucks) is the perfect weapon for anyone that is interested in a speedy attack style. This weapon is as quick to master as it is to use. Its hastiness makes up for its lack of strength.”
Hmm…not bad. But not quite. Next.
He quickly read over the Gloves for martial artists, and Guns for snipers and decided those definitely weren’t for him either. He could throw a decent punch, sure, but he wasn’t sure he was quite coordinated enough for full on martial arts. And guns, well…guns just seemed kinda lame and obvious. Luke kinda wanted a bit more of a challenge.
He then glanced at the next item on the list, a peculiar looking weapon that seemed to be a cross between a sword and a gun.
“The Gunblade is by far the strongest weapon known to man. This highly affective and reliable weapon is the hardest weapon for any student to master. It takes months of learning the proper technique to adequately use a Gunblade, and an even longer time to master it. Meant for the most serious and dedicated of students.”
Luke almost wanted to laugh. Definitely not for him. He moved on to the final weapon on the list, and his eyes perked up at the description.
“The Blaster Edge is a long-range weapon that takes dedication and practice to use. Not known to be very popular, it is found to be accurate and reliable among its users. Only adequate in its strength, the Blaster Edge makes up its worth by easily allowing the owner to use a wide variety of magic skills along with its attack.”
“Magic, huh?” Luke said to himself, deciding that he had had enough and folded the brochure back up, slipping it into his pocket. He slowly leaned his head back and closed his eyes, taking in the warm breeze. He felt the wind blow through his short blond hair and he relaxed his muscles. “I could definitely get used to this,” he laughed as he opened his eyes once again. All this fresh air was making him feel a sense of peace that he hadn’t felt since he was a kid. Since his mother was alive.
He looked up and studied his surroundings, watching the people of the city. He saw a mother holding her baby in her arms as she walked down the sidewalk, a few kids running around with sticks pretending that they were the fiercest of warriors, and a young girl huddled under a tree consumed in a book. It was the most peaceful setting he had ever come across in his life, and he was slowly getting addicted to the calm.
He continued to sit there and soak up the unfamiliar atmosphere as much as he could. He noticed people seemed a lot less in a hurry here. In the city, everyone was always too busy to care, which made him feel like just another faceless person in a crowd. He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there, but so far at least half a dozen people waved to him as they walked by. The friendliness and the welcome made him feel warm.
When it was finally time to board his bus, he gathered up his belongings and headed for the stop. He gave his bag to an attendant and boarded the bus. It was very small, very unlike the big buses that Deling City had for its public transportation. He walked down the aisle way, looking for an empty seat. When he didn’t find one, he just stood there, feeling quite embarrassed.
“Excuse me?” he heard someone say behind him. “This seat is open!”
Luke turned to his left to see a girl about his age smiling up at him and waving him over.
“I don’t mind if you sit here!” she said cheerfully, picking up her purse from the empty seat and patting it lightly with her hand. Luke smiled back and sat down next to her.
“My name is Alison Stewart! It’s nice to meet you!”
“Uh…Luke, nice to meet you, too.” Luke gave her a slight smile. Alison was a small girl, but Luke could immediately tell she had more personality than all of the Galbadian Army combined. She had shoulder length blonde hair that was slightly curled up at the bottoms and bangs that nicely framed her face. Her sparkling sapphire eyes glowed as she continued to smile at Luke.
“So, are you going to Balamb Garden?” Alison asked excitedly.
“Yeah, I’m a bit nervous,” Luke said shyly. That was an understatement. He was more than a little bit nervous. What if no one accepted him? What if he wasn’t good enough to make SeeD? What if he failed all his exams and was kicked out, forced to go back to his previous life?
He didn’t want to think about it.
“Me too! But I’m trying not to worry about it. I’m trying to take the bull by the horns and have fun! This is my first time out in the world, so I want to make good use of it!”
“Where are you from, Alison?” Luke asked.
“Please, call me Ali! And I’m from Trabia. It’s a small town in the northern mountains. Balamb is a big city compared to Trabia!” Alison said, spreading out her arms to emphasize her point. Luke laughed to himself at how different their backgrounds seemed to be. He had only ever seen pictures of Ali’s hometown, but he knew that not many people other than avid skiers or snowboarders decided to live there.
“Oh, must be nice to live in a small area with people around who acknowledge your existence,” Luke said without even realizing it. Damn it. Alison tilted her head at Luke and gave her a confused look.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I come from Deling City. My father he…well, he was always busy with his work. I grew up pretty much on my own. And in a big city like that, it’s kinda easy to get lost, you know?”
“Yeah, I can see what you mean.” Ali’s eyes showed sympathy and understanding, but no pity. Luke was grateful for that. “Anyway, you shouldn’t worry! You’ll make all kinds of new friends at the Garden! And look! You’ve already met me, right?”
Luke smiled warmly at her and nodded. Ali was very pretty, and Luke could actually see himself liking someone like her. Well, if he was into girls, anyway. “Thanks Ali. It’s kinda nice to know that I have a friend going into school already.”
They sat and talked about anything that came to mind the rest of the way. They covered music, movies, hobbies, and then when the topic came to relationships, Luke became unusually quiet.
“What’s wrong, Luke? Haven’t you ever had a girlfriend before?” Alison asked with a hint of tease. Luke blushed a little and shook his head, looking down and playing with his the strap of his messenger bag.
“No, I uh…I’m not really…” he trailed off, wondering how to best phrase it. In the end, he just let it out. “I’m gay, Ali. So uh…no girlfriends.”
And if Ali was phased by Luke’s coming out, she didn’t show it. “And no boyfriends either?”
Luke laughed a little before shaking his head no. It’s not like Luke didn’t want a boyfriend, or couldn’t get one. Guys had definitely shown their interest in the past. But it was his father that held him back. He would threaten him if he so much as mentioned a guy of any kind. The whole “gay situation” as his father so lovingly puts it, isn’t so great for his image as a General. So Luke could never act on it, always hiding himself away and never returning interest to his previous suitors.
It was just another thing that he was desperately hoping would change while at Garden.
“Oh, hey! We’re here!”
Luke looked up suddenly and stretched his head past Alison so he could look outside. The Garden was enormous. It was a very intricately built building, circular in its shape with all sorts of patterns and colors on the outer walls. It was located in front of the large mountains of the continent, and next to a large, lush forest on the other side, almost as if it was built there so it could be hidden from the rest of the world.
The bus pulled to a stop right in front of the entrance, which was blocked by a giant iron gate. Luke exited the bus, followed by Alison, and went to grab his bag from the driver. Afterward, he and Ali collected their suitcases and walked up toward the entrance. There were a man and two woman standing side-by-side on the steps, waiting for them in front of the gate. The man in the middle was old, but seemed very healthy despite his age. He had a full head of white hair, and is eyes held a cheery expression under the round glasses that covered his face. Luke never knew any of his grandparents, but this was kinda what he always imagined his grandfather would look like. The other two women on each side of him were carrying sheets of paper in their arms and staring blankly at the new students.
“Welcome to Balamb Garden!” the man said, spreading out his arms in welcome. “It’s great to see you all here!” Luke looked around and guessed that there were about 15 or so other students who were enrolling into the Garden. He turned back to face the man and listened to his speech.
“I am Bob Hughes, the headmaster here at Garden. I would like to be the first person to welcome you here! Garden is a great place to grow and prepare for your futures as SeeDs. Everyone will be getting a brief tour of the Garden before getting their dormitory assignments. You will then have time to do whatever you wish until curfew, which is precisely at midnight. All students will be asked to be in their rooms.”
He paused for a moment and looked down at a small note card he was holding.
“Tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock sharp, all new students will attend a brief orientation where they will fill out paperwork, chose their preferred weapon, and schedule their required classes. All classes will begin on Monday and the end of the first term will be the end of December.” Luke smiled at little at hearing that orientation was no longer that night, but the next morning. Now he didn’t have to worry about walking around like a zombie for the rest of the day.
Headmaster Hughes looked back down at his card and then whispered something to the woman on his left before continuing.
“At the end of the year, students who pass the written exam and fulfilled all of their requirements will take the SeeD Field Exam. If one passes, then they will be pronounced an official member of SeeD.”
Students around Luke began whispering amongst themselves at his last comment. Luke’s stomach jumped as he suddenly became very excited. He was finally about to begin his new life, and everything was going according to plan.
“Now, we would like to split you up into two groups for the tour.” He turned to his right this time and looked at his note card. “This,” he continued, pointing to the woman on his right, “is Margo. She is an instructor here at Garden. Will all of the female students please gather with her when we break apart for the tour.”
Luke turned her eyes to Margo. She was a pretty, middle-aged woman with a very stern-looking face. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and was wearing a uniform that undoubtedly was a sign for a member of SeeD.
The Headmaster then turned the other way and motioned to the woman standing to his left.
“This is Carly Tenney, another one of our instructors. Would all of the male students please follow her for the tour.”
Carly gave a small smile to the crowd in front of her. She was very pretty. She had blonde hair that was tied in a half bun in the back with long bangs on the side of her face. She wore small glasses and a uniform that matched Margo’s. She held a look of seriousness as she scanned the mass of students in front of her.
“Well, I believe that that is all that needs to be covered for now,” Bob said immediately afterward. “Again, welcome to Garden and we hope you all enjoy your stay! Good day.”
And with that, he took one last look at all the students and then turned around and walked past the gates. The students immediately separated into their respective groups and entered the Garden. Luke waved good-bye to Ali as she and a group of five other girls made their way over to Margo. He walked over to wear Instructor Tenney was still standing on the steps, and noticed that his group with guys was considerably larger.
They walked past the gates and into a huge hall and Carly led them to a row of small gates next to a reception desk. There was a man sitting inside reading a newspaper. When he heard the sound of footsteps, he looked up and smiled toward Carly. She gave him a slight nod and continued through the small gates. Some rows of the gates had signs that read “IN”, and others that read “OUT”.
When they arrived to the main hallway, Carly walked forward to a kiosk that held a huge map on the front. Luke looked around the large hall as they walked. Straight up ahead there were stairs that led to an elevator leading to the floors above. To each side of the map, the hall continued on in a circular pattern as the hallways were wrapped around the central pillar in the middle. Surrounding the pillar was a series of identical fountains of fish sprouting large rays of water. Carly stopped and turned to face the young men in front of her.
“Welcome to Garden!” she said as she peeked over the top of her glasses and scanned the crowd in front of her. “This is the main hall. To your right, that hallway leads to the Library, the Training Center, and the Parking Lot. If you go to your left, you will reach the Infirmary, the Quad, the Cafeteria, and no matter which way you go, the very back of the hall is where the Dormitories reside. The stairs in front of you lead to the second floor, which contains all of the classrooms, and the third floor is home to the headmaster’s office.”
She turned slightly to the side to reveal the map behind her. “This is a map of Garden, so if you ever get lost, just refer here and you should have no trouble finding your way. Follow me, please.”
She turned to her left and headed toward the right hallway. She led them past the Library, the Training Center and the Parking Lot before reaching the Dormitories. Luke looked forward and saw that on the opposite side of the dorms, was the Cafeteria. It was then that she realized that the large circular hallway was all connected.
“This is where you will be staying while you are with us here at Garden. Every dormitory for SeeDs-in-training are suite-style housing. Every student will have their own room, but must share a bathroom with one of their neighbors.” Carly looked at the papers she held in her hands on a clipboard and studied her instructions.
“Now, when I call your name, I will give you your room key, and room number. Please go straight to your assigned dorm and get settled in. You shall have free time until curfew, which is precisely at midnight. Students are not to be wandering the halls. Everything will be closed off then. The only are of Garden that is open 24 hours of the day is the Training Center, which if someone wishes to train in there after curfew, they will need special permission from an instructor or the headmaster.”
Carly retrieved a pen from her pocket and made a small mark on her paper.
“Addington, Reg,” Carly called off. A dark-haired boy standing to Luke’s right stepped forward and received his room key. “You are in the boy’s dorms, room B17.” Reg walked off toward the dorms and when he was out of sight, Carly called the next name. She continued calling off the rest of the boy’s names until only Luke and another boy was left.
“Hughes, Casey.”
“THAT’S ME!” the boy next to Luke shouted as he jumped forwards. Carly gave him an annoyed look over her glasses and slowly handed the boy his room key.
“You are in the boy’s dorms, room F11.”
“Thanks!” the boy, Casey smiled and started walking toward the dorms. Instructor Tenney turned back to her clipboard and shook her head, sighing.
Luke now stood all alone in front of the instructor. He peered down at his own feet and stuck his hands in his pockets as he began to fidget in nervousness.
“Are you Luciano Grimaldi?” Carly asked suddenly. Luke’s head shot right up.
“Yes, ma’am,” Luke politely responded. “And it’s Luke, please.”
“Well, Luke, you are in the boy’s dorms, in room H13.” Carly handed him his room key and politely said her goodbyes before walking off toward the main hall.
Luke picked up his suitcase and walked toward the dorms. He saw a sign for his section of the dorms and continued on. The hallways were dark, the dim lights that were implanted on the walls seemingly useless. He squinted as he tried to read the door numbers.
“H10...H11…H12, ah! Here we are! H13!” He slid his room key into the slot and slowly opened the door. Luke peeked inside to the small room and turned on the light. It was a lot smaller than he thought it would be, but then again he wasn’t sure if that was just because he had lived in wealth his whole life and was used to having a big room. The bathroom door was on his right as he walked in, and a closet was to the left. He continued to walk through the room and saw a twin bed on the far wall by the one lone window. Next to the bed was a small nightstand with a telephone and a lamp. He was, however, surprised to see that he had a fairly large dresser next to the opposite wall.
“Well, I guess I have to get used to this,” Luke sighed as he began to unpack his belongings. After twenty minutes or so, Luke finished unpacking everything into his dresser and closet. His attention then turned to the bathroom.
He was suddenly very curious as to who his suitemate was. He didn’t remember anyone’s name being called off that had his adjoining room in H hall, but then again someone could have and he just didn’t remember.
He calmly walked over to the bathroom door and gave it a slight knock, just in case it was in use. When only silence responded, he turned the knob and walked in. It was a small bathroom, with two sinks and two mirrors. The shower stall was next to his door, while the toilet was next to his roommate’s dorm. He noticed there was a cupboard on the wall in between the two mirrors. Curious, he opened it and saw a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, and a razor already inside. He closed the door softly and walked over to the opposite door. He found that it was already slightly open, and peeked inside.
“Hello?” he whispered, knocking a few times on the door. When he heard nothing, he continued to walk in and gaze into the very masculine room. No one was there, but signs that it was well-inhabited definitely were. The bed was perfectly made and the room was unusually tidy. There was nothing on any walls, which gave the room a very bland feel. The owner had a bookshelf next to his bed instead of a nightstand, and it was overflowing with all sorts of different books and magazines. He walked over to it and slid his fingers along one of the bindings. Most of the books were on fighting techniques and different kinds of magic.
He got up and looked around again. The room was actually too plain for his liking. It had no personality, no depth. It felt…lonely.
This guy must keep to himself he thought. Luke turned to look out the window, meeting the same view of the mountains that he had in his own room, and got lost in the picturesque sight. He wondered if he would ever get used to the beauty of the nature around him.
And then suddenly, without warning, the door opened.
“Who are you?”
Next
Author(s): dazzling_icer
Chapter: [1/?]
Rating: NC-17 (eventually)
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Luke and Noah (or other ATWT characters), nor do I claim any ownership over the video game Final Fantasy VIII. FFVIII, and any borrowing or allusion to places or characters belongs to Square Enix.
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Noah, Ali/Aaron, Casey/Maddie, Dr. Bob, Carly, Margo, Holden, John Dixon, Reid Oliver, and many other Oakdalians.
Word Count: 4,963
Warnings: None for this chapter.
Spoilers: None! Completely AU! :)
Summary: Becoming a SeeD was Luciano Grimaldi's way out. It was his freedom. Escaping the ruthless grasp of his father, a powerful general in the Galbadian Army, was the answer to all of his problems. Training to become a SeeD at one of the world's top mercenary schools wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but it was going to be so worth it. That is, until Luke meets a stranger at school that starts to make his life a lot more complicated. What happens when this stranger is found to be holding crucial secrets about Luke’s destiny? And how does Luke react when he discovers that the strange happenings around him are a lot bigger than just random coincidence?
A/N: Okay, I have to admit...this story was written on the sole purpose for complete self-indulgence. Because Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite of the series, and the main pairing of Squall and Rinoa ARE Noah and Luke to a "T". It's ridiculous. So this had to be written. The world of Final Fantasy VIII was stolen for this fic, but all of the characters are ATWT, so you will not encounter anyone you've never heard of before. But, in warning, some of the characters may take a small resemblance to their counterpart in the game (i.e. Zell's tattoo is now Casey's tattoo, etc). But this does NOT change their personality...only their appearance. You do NOT need to have played the game, or any other Final Fantasy game, to understand this fic.
A/N #2: This fic was written for Moey's frances_veritas birthday! It's got a bit to go, but I PROMISE this is gonna get done! Gonna post it every couple of days or so! So I promise you won't have to wait very long, Moey! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND AND AND I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS EVEN THOUGH IT'S WEIRD AND BIZARRE AND YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
Enjoy!
“Attention all passengers, the train will be arriving at Balamb in approximately five minutes. It is recommended that you gather up your belongings and prepare to disembark. Thank you.”
The voice rang loud over the speakers. Luke briefly looked up from the pamphlet he was engaged in and picked up his bag off the floor, settling it in his lap, before turning his eyes back to the brochure.
“Balamb Garden assures that all students will not only enhance their combat skills, but improve in all aspects of life during their stay. Becoming a member of the world-renowned SeeD organization will be an experience of a lifetime!” He read quietly to himself from the paper in front of him, the words long embedded into his head. He sighed, packing the brochure away in his bag and turning his eyes to the window. The calm countryside that Balamb had to offer was a very significant change from the city life he grew to know.
Growing up in Deling City, the largest and most governmental influenced city on the continent, his childhood (if you would call it that) was darkened by his tyrant of a father. General Grimaldi ran a tough household since his mother, Lily, had died in a car accident when he was only five. He treated him the same way as everyone else: he was just another soldier to him. The death of his mother caused him to turn into a shadow of his former self, and Luke had long since lost recognition for the kind, gentle man he once knew as a child. It was as if all of the love and joy he had possessed was taken away from him, and Luke wasn’t good enough to be a replacement for his mother.
But none of that mattered anymore. He was leaving that life forever, and starting a new life at Balamb Garden to become a SeeD. Balamb Garden was a special school that trained its students to become mercenaries. If you were good enough, you became a member of SeeD, an elite group of combat specialists that are trained in all areas of warfare and intelligence. They take on missions that would help improve the peace of their world for a considerable profit.
Luke knew all about SeeD, and the various Gardens around the world that trained its soldiers away from the influence of the government. Although there were never specifics on exactly what type of assistance SeeD provided to the clients that hired them, he knew that they didn’t take any missions, or had any alliances with the government of any kind.
And that was exactly what Luke needed. Ever since he found an advertisement for it at a local market, he knew that this was something that he had to do to finally get away from his father. Become his own person. Make a difference. Becoming a member of SeeD was going to be the hardest thing Luke ever did, but he knew that he had to prove himself. A life of being told that he wasn’t good enough for anything better was working against him, but he knew he had made the right decision.
Going to Balamb Garden and studying to become a SeeD, it was the perfect plan. He would be lying if he said that becoming an elite mercenary away from the government wasn’t just to stick it to his father. There was truth to that, sure. But Luke needed this for himself. He wanted to start to live his own life, make his own decisions. Sure, the life he was entering was a dangerous one, full of battles and monsters and no doubts countless injuries. But it would be worth the risk. The work he would be doing with SeeD to bring about peace would be worth it, despite the constant danger.
Anything is better than my father, he thought to himself as he stared out at the plains in front of him, spreading out as far as his eyes could see and leading to the ocean. Balamb Garden was on a whole other continent than Deling City, and this was the first time that Luke had ventured off Galbadia without his father present. That, in itself, was thrilling enough. But knowing that this place, this beautiful, vast country was now going to be his new home, caused a gentle and pleasant stirring in his gut.
Suddenly, a soft beeping noise came from over the loudspeaker.
“Attention passengers, we have arrived in Balamb. Please walk carefully to the nearest exit. We hope you enjoyed your ride today! From all of us here at the Galbadian Railroad, we wish you all a wonderful day!”
“Finally,” Luke sighed as he descended down the hallway of the train. The ride lasted eleven hours by train (most of it underwater in the sub-hydro railways) and when he got off, he would have to board a bus to Balamb Garden that was located just outside of Balamb city. When he arrived, he would have to go through orientation and a brief tour before he could finally rest.
Balamb was a quiet town that was located directly on the ocean. Beaches surrounded the outsides of the city, and there were many ports and docks for cargo ships and fisherman. There were also many small shops such as diners and cafés, and he saw small connecting houses that lined up directly next to each other on each side of the streets. On the far side of the city, he could make out the top of the largest building in town. It looked like a hotel with a lot of small windows on the side that faced the sea, and just screamed “nautical-themed”.
Basically, Balamb was exactly what he imaged any small, quant fisherman’s town to be.
He collected his suitcase from an attendant and swung his bag over his shoulder. He looked down at the small map in front of him to locate the bus station, and then checked his watch.
His bus didn’t arrive for another hour, so he figured he would kill some time by exploring the town a little bit, deciding to familiarize himself a little bit to the only form of civilization he was going to have access to while he was studying at Garden.
He wasn’t able to do much in a short hour. He walked past shops and peered into windows, taking extra notice of the weapon shops that sold different models of weapons and also advertised for upgrades on current versions. That place might definitely come in handy in the future.
Luke was also able to stop by a small coffee shop, ordering a drink in the hopes that the caffeine would help keep him awake through his orientation. And then by the time he left the shop and made his way back to the bus station, his bus was due to arrive any minute.
The bus station, which was conveniently located across the street from the train station, was small and nearly empty of people. It had only one tiny ticket booth and a vending machine, a huge difference from the giant bus terminals that he used back in the city.
It was a gorgeous late summer day as he walked across the street to the station, and the soft warm breeze that blew from the sea gave him a calmness that he never found in Deling City. The air seemed clearer here. If not clearer, then definitely cleaner because there was no factories or signs of pollution of any kind in sight. As corny as it sounded, Luke felt like he was breathing real air for the first time in his life.
Finding a small bench next to the ticket booth, he sat down and pulled out the worn pamphlet he was reading earlier. He opened to a page that showed many pictures of weapons and other machinery with their descriptions right next to them. Reminding him of what he saw earlier at the small weapons dealer, he began to go over his options.
“A student at Balamb Garden will be required to choose a weapon that they will master during their training. Different skills and abilities are required for every mission, so it is imperative that Garden is a host to a master of every kind of weapon.”
He briefly gazed at the different choices and read the descriptions out to himself.
“The Chain Whip is a strong, versatile weapon that has been used for centuries. Its technique is easy to learn but mastery of this weapon requires discipline and dedication.”
Ha. Discipline. Yeah, right. Luke skipped to the next one.
“The Nunchaku (or otherwise known as “nunchucks) is the perfect weapon for anyone that is interested in a speedy attack style. This weapon is as quick to master as it is to use. Its hastiness makes up for its lack of strength.”
Hmm…not bad. But not quite. Next.
He quickly read over the Gloves for martial artists, and Guns for snipers and decided those definitely weren’t for him either. He could throw a decent punch, sure, but he wasn’t sure he was quite coordinated enough for full on martial arts. And guns, well…guns just seemed kinda lame and obvious. Luke kinda wanted a bit more of a challenge.
He then glanced at the next item on the list, a peculiar looking weapon that seemed to be a cross between a sword and a gun.
“The Gunblade is by far the strongest weapon known to man. This highly affective and reliable weapon is the hardest weapon for any student to master. It takes months of learning the proper technique to adequately use a Gunblade, and an even longer time to master it. Meant for the most serious and dedicated of students.”
Luke almost wanted to laugh. Definitely not for him. He moved on to the final weapon on the list, and his eyes perked up at the description.
“The Blaster Edge is a long-range weapon that takes dedication and practice to use. Not known to be very popular, it is found to be accurate and reliable among its users. Only adequate in its strength, the Blaster Edge makes up its worth by easily allowing the owner to use a wide variety of magic skills along with its attack.”
“Magic, huh?” Luke said to himself, deciding that he had had enough and folded the brochure back up, slipping it into his pocket. He slowly leaned his head back and closed his eyes, taking in the warm breeze. He felt the wind blow through his short blond hair and he relaxed his muscles. “I could definitely get used to this,” he laughed as he opened his eyes once again. All this fresh air was making him feel a sense of peace that he hadn’t felt since he was a kid. Since his mother was alive.
He looked up and studied his surroundings, watching the people of the city. He saw a mother holding her baby in her arms as she walked down the sidewalk, a few kids running around with sticks pretending that they were the fiercest of warriors, and a young girl huddled under a tree consumed in a book. It was the most peaceful setting he had ever come across in his life, and he was slowly getting addicted to the calm.
He continued to sit there and soak up the unfamiliar atmosphere as much as he could. He noticed people seemed a lot less in a hurry here. In the city, everyone was always too busy to care, which made him feel like just another faceless person in a crowd. He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there, but so far at least half a dozen people waved to him as they walked by. The friendliness and the welcome made him feel warm.
When it was finally time to board his bus, he gathered up his belongings and headed for the stop. He gave his bag to an attendant and boarded the bus. It was very small, very unlike the big buses that Deling City had for its public transportation. He walked down the aisle way, looking for an empty seat. When he didn’t find one, he just stood there, feeling quite embarrassed.
“Excuse me?” he heard someone say behind him. “This seat is open!”
Luke turned to his left to see a girl about his age smiling up at him and waving him over.
“I don’t mind if you sit here!” she said cheerfully, picking up her purse from the empty seat and patting it lightly with her hand. Luke smiled back and sat down next to her.
“My name is Alison Stewart! It’s nice to meet you!”
“Uh…Luke, nice to meet you, too.” Luke gave her a slight smile. Alison was a small girl, but Luke could immediately tell she had more personality than all of the Galbadian Army combined. She had shoulder length blonde hair that was slightly curled up at the bottoms and bangs that nicely framed her face. Her sparkling sapphire eyes glowed as she continued to smile at Luke.
“So, are you going to Balamb Garden?” Alison asked excitedly.
“Yeah, I’m a bit nervous,” Luke said shyly. That was an understatement. He was more than a little bit nervous. What if no one accepted him? What if he wasn’t good enough to make SeeD? What if he failed all his exams and was kicked out, forced to go back to his previous life?
He didn’t want to think about it.
“Me too! But I’m trying not to worry about it. I’m trying to take the bull by the horns and have fun! This is my first time out in the world, so I want to make good use of it!”
“Where are you from, Alison?” Luke asked.
“Please, call me Ali! And I’m from Trabia. It’s a small town in the northern mountains. Balamb is a big city compared to Trabia!” Alison said, spreading out her arms to emphasize her point. Luke laughed to himself at how different their backgrounds seemed to be. He had only ever seen pictures of Ali’s hometown, but he knew that not many people other than avid skiers or snowboarders decided to live there.
“Oh, must be nice to live in a small area with people around who acknowledge your existence,” Luke said without even realizing it. Damn it. Alison tilted her head at Luke and gave her a confused look.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I come from Deling City. My father he…well, he was always busy with his work. I grew up pretty much on my own. And in a big city like that, it’s kinda easy to get lost, you know?”
“Yeah, I can see what you mean.” Ali’s eyes showed sympathy and understanding, but no pity. Luke was grateful for that. “Anyway, you shouldn’t worry! You’ll make all kinds of new friends at the Garden! And look! You’ve already met me, right?”
Luke smiled warmly at her and nodded. Ali was very pretty, and Luke could actually see himself liking someone like her. Well, if he was into girls, anyway. “Thanks Ali. It’s kinda nice to know that I have a friend going into school already.”
They sat and talked about anything that came to mind the rest of the way. They covered music, movies, hobbies, and then when the topic came to relationships, Luke became unusually quiet.
“What’s wrong, Luke? Haven’t you ever had a girlfriend before?” Alison asked with a hint of tease. Luke blushed a little and shook his head, looking down and playing with his the strap of his messenger bag.
“No, I uh…I’m not really…” he trailed off, wondering how to best phrase it. In the end, he just let it out. “I’m gay, Ali. So uh…no girlfriends.”
And if Ali was phased by Luke’s coming out, she didn’t show it. “And no boyfriends either?”
Luke laughed a little before shaking his head no. It’s not like Luke didn’t want a boyfriend, or couldn’t get one. Guys had definitely shown their interest in the past. But it was his father that held him back. He would threaten him if he so much as mentioned a guy of any kind. The whole “gay situation” as his father so lovingly puts it, isn’t so great for his image as a General. So Luke could never act on it, always hiding himself away and never returning interest to his previous suitors.
It was just another thing that he was desperately hoping would change while at Garden.
“Oh, hey! We’re here!”
Luke looked up suddenly and stretched his head past Alison so he could look outside. The Garden was enormous. It was a very intricately built building, circular in its shape with all sorts of patterns and colors on the outer walls. It was located in front of the large mountains of the continent, and next to a large, lush forest on the other side, almost as if it was built there so it could be hidden from the rest of the world.
The bus pulled to a stop right in front of the entrance, which was blocked by a giant iron gate. Luke exited the bus, followed by Alison, and went to grab his bag from the driver. Afterward, he and Ali collected their suitcases and walked up toward the entrance. There were a man and two woman standing side-by-side on the steps, waiting for them in front of the gate. The man in the middle was old, but seemed very healthy despite his age. He had a full head of white hair, and is eyes held a cheery expression under the round glasses that covered his face. Luke never knew any of his grandparents, but this was kinda what he always imagined his grandfather would look like. The other two women on each side of him were carrying sheets of paper in their arms and staring blankly at the new students.
“Welcome to Balamb Garden!” the man said, spreading out his arms in welcome. “It’s great to see you all here!” Luke looked around and guessed that there were about 15 or so other students who were enrolling into the Garden. He turned back to face the man and listened to his speech.
“I am Bob Hughes, the headmaster here at Garden. I would like to be the first person to welcome you here! Garden is a great place to grow and prepare for your futures as SeeDs. Everyone will be getting a brief tour of the Garden before getting their dormitory assignments. You will then have time to do whatever you wish until curfew, which is precisely at midnight. All students will be asked to be in their rooms.”
He paused for a moment and looked down at a small note card he was holding.
“Tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock sharp, all new students will attend a brief orientation where they will fill out paperwork, chose their preferred weapon, and schedule their required classes. All classes will begin on Monday and the end of the first term will be the end of December.” Luke smiled at little at hearing that orientation was no longer that night, but the next morning. Now he didn’t have to worry about walking around like a zombie for the rest of the day.
Headmaster Hughes looked back down at his card and then whispered something to the woman on his left before continuing.
“At the end of the year, students who pass the written exam and fulfilled all of their requirements will take the SeeD Field Exam. If one passes, then they will be pronounced an official member of SeeD.”
Students around Luke began whispering amongst themselves at his last comment. Luke’s stomach jumped as he suddenly became very excited. He was finally about to begin his new life, and everything was going according to plan.
“Now, we would like to split you up into two groups for the tour.” He turned to his right this time and looked at his note card. “This,” he continued, pointing to the woman on his right, “is Margo. She is an instructor here at Garden. Will all of the female students please gather with her when we break apart for the tour.”
Luke turned her eyes to Margo. She was a pretty, middle-aged woman with a very stern-looking face. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and was wearing a uniform that undoubtedly was a sign for a member of SeeD.
The Headmaster then turned the other way and motioned to the woman standing to his left.
“This is Carly Tenney, another one of our instructors. Would all of the male students please follow her for the tour.”
Carly gave a small smile to the crowd in front of her. She was very pretty. She had blonde hair that was tied in a half bun in the back with long bangs on the side of her face. She wore small glasses and a uniform that matched Margo’s. She held a look of seriousness as she scanned the mass of students in front of her.
“Well, I believe that that is all that needs to be covered for now,” Bob said immediately afterward. “Again, welcome to Garden and we hope you all enjoy your stay! Good day.”
And with that, he took one last look at all the students and then turned around and walked past the gates. The students immediately separated into their respective groups and entered the Garden. Luke waved good-bye to Ali as she and a group of five other girls made their way over to Margo. He walked over to wear Instructor Tenney was still standing on the steps, and noticed that his group with guys was considerably larger.
They walked past the gates and into a huge hall and Carly led them to a row of small gates next to a reception desk. There was a man sitting inside reading a newspaper. When he heard the sound of footsteps, he looked up and smiled toward Carly. She gave him a slight nod and continued through the small gates. Some rows of the gates had signs that read “IN”, and others that read “OUT”.
When they arrived to the main hallway, Carly walked forward to a kiosk that held a huge map on the front. Luke looked around the large hall as they walked. Straight up ahead there were stairs that led to an elevator leading to the floors above. To each side of the map, the hall continued on in a circular pattern as the hallways were wrapped around the central pillar in the middle. Surrounding the pillar was a series of identical fountains of fish sprouting large rays of water. Carly stopped and turned to face the young men in front of her.
“Welcome to Garden!” she said as she peeked over the top of her glasses and scanned the crowd in front of her. “This is the main hall. To your right, that hallway leads to the Library, the Training Center, and the Parking Lot. If you go to your left, you will reach the Infirmary, the Quad, the Cafeteria, and no matter which way you go, the very back of the hall is where the Dormitories reside. The stairs in front of you lead to the second floor, which contains all of the classrooms, and the third floor is home to the headmaster’s office.”
She turned slightly to the side to reveal the map behind her. “This is a map of Garden, so if you ever get lost, just refer here and you should have no trouble finding your way. Follow me, please.”
She turned to her left and headed toward the right hallway. She led them past the Library, the Training Center and the Parking Lot before reaching the Dormitories. Luke looked forward and saw that on the opposite side of the dorms, was the Cafeteria. It was then that she realized that the large circular hallway was all connected.
“This is where you will be staying while you are with us here at Garden. Every dormitory for SeeDs-in-training are suite-style housing. Every student will have their own room, but must share a bathroom with one of their neighbors.” Carly looked at the papers she held in her hands on a clipboard and studied her instructions.
“Now, when I call your name, I will give you your room key, and room number. Please go straight to your assigned dorm and get settled in. You shall have free time until curfew, which is precisely at midnight. Students are not to be wandering the halls. Everything will be closed off then. The only are of Garden that is open 24 hours of the day is the Training Center, which if someone wishes to train in there after curfew, they will need special permission from an instructor or the headmaster.”
Carly retrieved a pen from her pocket and made a small mark on her paper.
“Addington, Reg,” Carly called off. A dark-haired boy standing to Luke’s right stepped forward and received his room key. “You are in the boy’s dorms, room B17.” Reg walked off toward the dorms and when he was out of sight, Carly called the next name. She continued calling off the rest of the boy’s names until only Luke and another boy was left.
“Hughes, Casey.”
“THAT’S ME!” the boy next to Luke shouted as he jumped forwards. Carly gave him an annoyed look over her glasses and slowly handed the boy his room key.
“You are in the boy’s dorms, room F11.”
“Thanks!” the boy, Casey smiled and started walking toward the dorms. Instructor Tenney turned back to her clipboard and shook her head, sighing.
Luke now stood all alone in front of the instructor. He peered down at his own feet and stuck his hands in his pockets as he began to fidget in nervousness.
“Are you Luciano Grimaldi?” Carly asked suddenly. Luke’s head shot right up.
“Yes, ma’am,” Luke politely responded. “And it’s Luke, please.”
“Well, Luke, you are in the boy’s dorms, in room H13.” Carly handed him his room key and politely said her goodbyes before walking off toward the main hall.
Luke picked up his suitcase and walked toward the dorms. He saw a sign for his section of the dorms and continued on. The hallways were dark, the dim lights that were implanted on the walls seemingly useless. He squinted as he tried to read the door numbers.
“H10...H11…H12, ah! Here we are! H13!” He slid his room key into the slot and slowly opened the door. Luke peeked inside to the small room and turned on the light. It was a lot smaller than he thought it would be, but then again he wasn’t sure if that was just because he had lived in wealth his whole life and was used to having a big room. The bathroom door was on his right as he walked in, and a closet was to the left. He continued to walk through the room and saw a twin bed on the far wall by the one lone window. Next to the bed was a small nightstand with a telephone and a lamp. He was, however, surprised to see that he had a fairly large dresser next to the opposite wall.
“Well, I guess I have to get used to this,” Luke sighed as he began to unpack his belongings. After twenty minutes or so, Luke finished unpacking everything into his dresser and closet. His attention then turned to the bathroom.
He was suddenly very curious as to who his suitemate was. He didn’t remember anyone’s name being called off that had his adjoining room in H hall, but then again someone could have and he just didn’t remember.
He calmly walked over to the bathroom door and gave it a slight knock, just in case it was in use. When only silence responded, he turned the knob and walked in. It was a small bathroom, with two sinks and two mirrors. The shower stall was next to his door, while the toilet was next to his roommate’s dorm. He noticed there was a cupboard on the wall in between the two mirrors. Curious, he opened it and saw a toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, and a razor already inside. He closed the door softly and walked over to the opposite door. He found that it was already slightly open, and peeked inside.
“Hello?” he whispered, knocking a few times on the door. When he heard nothing, he continued to walk in and gaze into the very masculine room. No one was there, but signs that it was well-inhabited definitely were. The bed was perfectly made and the room was unusually tidy. There was nothing on any walls, which gave the room a very bland feel. The owner had a bookshelf next to his bed instead of a nightstand, and it was overflowing with all sorts of different books and magazines. He walked over to it and slid his fingers along one of the bindings. Most of the books were on fighting techniques and different kinds of magic.
He got up and looked around again. The room was actually too plain for his liking. It had no personality, no depth. It felt…lonely.
This guy must keep to himself he thought. Luke turned to look out the window, meeting the same view of the mountains that he had in his own room, and got lost in the picturesque sight. He wondered if he would ever get used to the beauty of the nature around him.
And then suddenly, without warning, the door opened.
“Who are you?”
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